Reversible coupling



June 6, 1950 A. FREDRIKSON 2,510,880

REVERSIBLE COUPLING Filed May 29, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2.

INVFNTOR. AlF Fredriksen FITTURNEY June 6, 1950 A. FREDRIKSON 2,510,880

REVERSIBLE COUPLING Filed May 29, 1945- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. AIF Fredr n kson FITTURNEY June 6, 1950 A. FREDRIKSON 2,510,830

REVERSIBLE COUPLING Filed May 29, 1945 3 SheetsSheet s I INVENTOR. AIF Fredri kson BY a Patented June 6, 1950 57mins PATENT 2-,510,8S0.-- Q V ienvsitsinnn confine-o F eaiiiisim, En iewe ri, N.- J. ix p iemjitiiivisy-zs,1945; s v ai hc seegszs rhis invention relates to new and useiul improvements in reversible; coupling More specifically, the invention proposesthe construction of a reversible coupling for edri'vte shaft driven sha f-t inend alignment with each other to control thdriiringof said driven shaft in either" direction from the 1 drive shaft which is continuously-driven in one direction.

Another object of the invention proposes the provision of a; housing" mounted on the driven shaft and encircling the s'dj'acent end of the drive shaft uponivhich a; pair of discsetre disposed with one of said di's'csheihg fixed on theshaft and th other being 'f-reeonthe shaft and connected with its shaft-h means ofa reversing transmission and the" provisionof an electromagnetic means i i the housing for' conne'cting the housing with either of the discs-for driving the shafts inthe some or reversed-directions.

still another object of the invention proposes characterizing the electroainagneticimeans by ele'otro-ina gnetic coils zh'oiintedon an annular member in the hohsing'betwe'en' the with a meansfor s'eleotively energizing the electro magnetic coil" adjacent either of the discs toemploy the force ofthe magnetic held between the coils and adjacent discs for connecting the coil's'and discs together for unitary inovement.

Still another objectofi the invention proposes providing the disc's- With pO'llS; arranged adjacent the eiectro magnetic. coilsof the housing, and which are to be energized at the sametime'with theenergizevtion ofthe adjacent electro magnetic coils'to use the induction principle for connecting the discs to' their respective electio-magnetic coils of the housing.

Still another object of the invention proposes the electromagnetic coils for extending pins from the ann-uler minberjof the housingto engage complementary,'openingsin the adjacent faces of the discs cfeeting a positive connection of the discs with t ehcusi rgj Still another object of the invention proposes the construction of a reversible coupling; electromagnetically controlled} which is simple and durable and which may bemeinufactured' and sold ate; reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects angli dvgintages thereof, reference will behad to the following describtion and 1. claims wh te -234i H2; accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel; features oi the invention: are, more particularly setjforth.

Inthe accompanying dra ving'rforming a material part ofthis cliselosurez I Fig. 1-: is at side elevationelq view o fan: electromagnetic reversibl pling constrncted inaccordance with-thi nvention Fig- 2- is s nenlar gedventiool sectional view through; the housing of; Fig; 1-.

Fig. -8 is a sectional view taken on the line Fig. 4 is a view similarto higit-butillustrating at. modificationhof theinventiom Eig. 5 is a; vigtioallsectional view taken on the Fig. 6 is another view-similar to ling.- 2, but illustrating ,a still f iirtheri modification of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a verticallseotionoll View taken suhstentially on the 11119 1 oiF'ig.;6I

The reversible coupling atmzoi'dingv to this-dilvention, includes a dfr'ivef shoiti HI and av driven shaft El SUPDOrtled suitable brackets I'Z'Iin end alignment with each other.- A IS fixedly mounted on theihner end-of the drive shaft if! and'concentricallv encircles the adjacent endv of the driven shaft 1 [The housing- [3 is provided with an internalannnlhirniembeii i1 arranged coexially of the sha fts 101 and I I. A pai'r of discs [5 and l fi' ai'ed is'posedionthediiven shaft H and Withinthev housing. 1 3 an dl on opposite sides of the enm lai memter M. The disc IE-"is fixedly mounted on the drivenshaft'. Hi and the discs [Gar ro,tatively freely.mounted on the shaft in and ar'e con iectedi therewith by a reversing transmission l1; Discs? and" is; are" both provided with conventional} circumfrentially spoce'd teeth in" and: TI}. respectively; to; set up eddy currents More" specifically; thedisc [Eli'sfixe'djly' mounted on e. tubular shiftillswiiieely rototiverhiitznon-slid ably mounted on the; riven shaft H l h reversingtransmission [7- forioonne'ctihg the free disc [6 with thodiiven shaft l l includes aheveled ear l9 fixedly mmintdibn sth eftlibliltf shaft l8 and which meshes with afsecondb'eveled gear 20. This beveled gearoffl is fiiedlvmounted on I a studshaft 2i rotativelysuppozfidinja-bracket 22. The beveled gear 21!" meshes with a, thii'd beveled gear 23 fixedly mounted on the driven shaft ll. Thus when the dis i6 is rotating the transmission I! will act to convey these rotations to the driven shaft H.

An electro-magnetic means is provided for connecting the annular member is of the housin l3 with one or the other of the discs l or 6 for driving the shaft ii in the same direction as the shaft it or in the reversed direction. This electro-magnetic means is characterized by an electro-magneti coil 22 mounted on the annular member M adjacent the disc H5. The opposite face of the annular member it is provided with an electro-magnetic coil 25 adjacent the disc [6.

A circuit 25 is provided for suplying current to either of the electro-magnetic coils 24 or 25. This circuit includes two pairs of metallic rings 2'! and 28 supported upon the periphery of the housing l3 and insulated therefrom by insulation material 29. These pairs of rings 21 and 28 are engaged by brushes 3!) supported on a bracket 3!. The brushes 30 are connected by means of wires with a double knife switch 32 which has its pivotal member 33 connected With a source of power not illustrated on the drawings.

When the pivoted'member 33 is moved to either side, it energizes the oil 24 or the coil 25. When the coil ZIl is energized thereby creating a magnetic field coupling the disc E5 to the annular member is to rotate therewith and rotate the driven shaft i i in th same direction as the drive shaft 50. However, when the pivoted member 33 is moved to energize the electro-magnetic coil 25 eddy current will be set up to lock the disc "5 to the annular member M and rotate the driven shaft H in an opposite direction tothe rotation of the drive shaft it through the medium of the reversing transmission ll. 7

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 a reversing coupling is illustrated which employs locking the induction principle for discs l5 and i6 selectivelywith the annular member of the housing I 3. In this form of the invention the discs l5 and I5, having conventional, circumferentially spaced teeth 70 and l l are provided with small electro-magnetic coils 35 and 36. The coils 35 of the disc 15 are arranged adjacent the .electro-magnetic coil 24 of the annular member 155. The coils 35 of the discs it are arranged adjacent the electro-magnetic coil 25 of the annular member l4. Circuits 31 and 38 are provided for energizing the coils 35 and 36 with their respective coils 24 and 25 of the annular member M.

The circuit 3'1! which energizes the coils 35 com- I prises a pair of spaced rings 33 mounted on the driven shaft I! and connected with the coils 35. These rings 35 are supplied with electric current from the same source that supplies the electromagnetic coil 24 for energizing the coils 24 and 35.

Likewise the circuit 38 for energizing the coils 35 of the disc 15' includes a pair ofspaced rings 53 mounted on the tubular shaft l3 and in turn connected with the coils 35. These rings 55 receive electric current for the coils 36 from the same source that supplies current to the coil 25 to simultaneously energize the coils 25 and 35.

In this form of the invention either of the coils 24 or 25 and the coils of the adjacent discs will be simultaneously energized for selectively coupling either of the discs with the annular member is for driving the discs. .e

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that previously shown and. like refer- 4 ence numerals identify like parts in each of the several views.

It is to be understood that the coils 24 and 25 may be eliminated, and substituted by magnetic coils 35 and 36 on discs I5 and It with short circuited windings.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and '7 the electro-magnetic coils 25' and 25' are arranged to control the extension of pins as from either side of the annular member 14 to engage complementary recesses 5| and 52 formed in the adjacent faces of the discs 55" and It". The pins 50 are securely mounted intermediate of their ends on an annular ring 53 slidably located within a chamber 54 formed in the annular member I l between the electromagnetic coils 22' and 25. Expansion springs 55 engage opposite sides of the ring 53 and urge the ring into a neutral position in which the pins 50 will be disengaged from the openings 5! and 52. These springs 55 only urge the ring 53 into this neutral position when neither of the coils 24 nor 25 is energized and when either of the coils 24' or 25' is energized the pins 59 will be extended moving the ring 53 against the action of the .springs 55. In the extended position, the pins 50 will engage in either the openings 5i or 52 for locking the discs l5" or Hi" to the annular member It.

Normally eddy currents will be employed to couple the discs l5" and it to their respective coils 24'and 25'. However, when there are excessive loads on the driven shaft ll it may be necessary to supplement the action of the eddy current for cupling the discs to the annular memher It. For this reason, means is provided for limiting the action of the pins 55 and permitting them to be used only when excessive loads are carried by the driven shaft ll.

To accomplish this, diametrically opposite coils 55 are mounted on the annular member M and have projecting pins 57 for engaging into a complementary groove 58 provided on the inner peripheral edge of the ring 53. The centrifugal action of the rotation of the housing it retains the pins 51 in a position to engage the grooves 58 in the disc in position preventing the pins 50 from being extended when either of the coils 24' or 25 is energized. A circuit 59 controlled by a manual switch is provided to energize the coils 56 to withdraw the pins 51 and free the disc 58 so that the pins 50 may be extended from one side or the other of the annular member M depending upon which of the coils 25' or 25 is energized. The provision of the circuit 59 permits the coils 55 to be energized at such times as the driven shaft l i is carrying excessive loads and it becomes necessary to supplement the action of the coils 2 5 and 25' to insure the coupling of the discs l5" and It to the annular member I4 of the housing It.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifica tions coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: r

A multiple clutch including a drive shaft and a driven shaft in end alignment with each other and comprising, a housing mounted on said drive shaft and having an internal, annular member,

electromagnetic coils mounted on opposite sides of said annular member, a disc fixedly mounted on said driven shaft for rotation therewith and positioned adjacent one of said coils, a second disc mounted on said driven shaft for free rotation thereon, said second disc being positioned adjacent the other of said coils, means interconnecting said second disc with said driven shaft, said discs being provided with a plurality of openings on their respective sides adjacent each of said electromagnetic coils, a plurality of pins slidably mounted on said annular member and selectively engageable with the openings formed in either of said discs, said pins being selectively actuated by energization of either of said electromagnetic coils to engage within the openings of said disc adjacent said energized coil, and electromagnetic means for maintaining said pins out of engagement with either of said discs when said electromagnetic coils on said annular member are deenergized,

ALF FREDRIKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

